Football Headline

Saturday August 4, 2012Gators Football Preview: Defensive Backs

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As
Florida coach Will Muschamp enters his second season, there are plenty of jobs
open.

More than the high-profile quarterback battle between
Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett.

“We have a lot of position battles,’’ Muschamp said Thursday
at media day. “That’s really good for our team. We have more depth at all
positions.”

The Gators might have the most depth in the secondary.
Six defensive backs on the roster have started in their careers. Add four new
freshmen to the mix and you have a group that offers ample options.

Perhaps the most talented of the group is junior safety
Matt Elam, who is listed on several preseason All-SEC teams entering his junior
season. Elam is the only player in the secondary to start every game a season
ago.

Muschamp and his coaching staff like the talent in the
secondary, but they want to see more plays. The Gators had only eight
interceptions in 2011 and two of those were be linebackers (Jelani Jenkins and
Michael Taylor).

Florida finished 113th nationally in turnover margin and
that will be a heavy emphasis during fall camp. Elam and sophomore De’ante
“Pop” Saunders led the way with two picks each last season.

“We have re-evaluated ourselves and what we have done as
a staff to do a better job in that department,’’ Muschamp said. “We have made a
huge emphasis, maybe differently, how we want to emphasize things as far as
technique of taking the ball off people, make our kids more cognizant of
situations when we can get the ball off them.”

With the Gators’ fall camp opening this week,
GatorZone.com is taking a look at each position group. This is a glance at the
defensive backs:

No. 22 Matt Elam (Jr., 5-10, 210)

At a glance: A physical presence at
safety, Elam finished second on the team with 78 tackles as a sophomore. He was
one of just five players to start every game in 2011.

Elam’s 11 tackles-for-loss led the Gators. He is
considered one of the anchors of a defense that has potential to be one of the
nation’s best this season and is a preseason all-conference selection.

No. 9 Josh Evans (Sr., 6-1, 201)

At a glance: He showed significant
improvement as a junior and is the only senior among a deep stable of defensive
backs. Evans started eight games last season and recorded five tackles, a sack
and one fumble recovery in Florida’s win over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl.

No. 21 Jabari Gorman (So., 5-9, 183)

At a glance: Gorman played in all 13
games as a freshman, mostly on special teams. He finished with eight tackles
and will try to earn more snaps on defense to add to his special team
contributions.

No. 15 Loucheiz Purifoy (So., 6-1, 186)

At a glance: Purifoy was a standout
special-teams player as a freshman, leading the squad with 22 tackles. He also
saw time at cornerback. Purifoy is a player coaches expect more from this
season so expect to see him on the field consistently.

No. 31 Cody Riggs (Jr., 5-9, 190)

At a glance: Riggs started 10 games at
cornerback last season and has played in all 26 games his two seasons on
campus. Riggs is a versatile corner who continues to improve as a regular
contributor in the secondary.

No. 5 Marcus Roberson (So., 6-0, 180)

At a glance: He made an immediate impact
as a freshman, starting 10 games until a neck injury at South Carolina ended
his season. Roberson missed spring practice but has been cleared to start fall
camp and will battle to regain his starting job. He had 22 tackles and one
interception as a freshman.

No. 26 De’ante Saunders (So., 5-8, 186)

At a glance: Saunders played regularly at
safety and cornerback as a true freshman, tying for the team lead with two
interceptions, including one for a touchdown against Furman. Saunders is a
physical presence in the secondary and also plays the run well. He should
continue to have a prominent role in the secondary if he stays healthy.

No. 10 Valdez Showers (RS Fr., 5-11, 186)

At a glance: A former Gatorade Player of
the Year in Michigan, Showers was redshirted a year ago. He figures to play on
special teams and have an opportunity for regular time in the secondary in his
second season.

No. 14 Jaylen Watkins (Jr., 6-0, 187)

At a glance: Watkins played in 13 games
last season, starting six. He had a career-high six tackles in his first career
start at Kentucky. Watkins provides a veteran presence as one of the few
upperclassmen in the secondary.

No. 27 Willie Bailey (Fr., 6-1, 170)

At a glance: A true freshman who
enrolled in January and gained valuable experience in spring practice. Coaches
like his toughness and ability to make plays on the ball at cornerback.

No. 8 Jeremy Brown (RS Jr., 5-10, 181)

At a glance: Brown’s career continues to
be plagued by injuries. He missed his first two seasons due to a chronic back
condition. He started 10 games in 2010, recording three interceptions and
taking one for 52 yards for a touchdown against Kentucky. He missed last season
with a knee injury and is unavailable for the start of fall camp due to a
broken wrist. Brown is expected to be cleared in early September. If he can
stay healthy, he could be a factor.

No. 20 Marcus Maye (Fr., 5-11, 200)

At a glance: A highly touted safety
prospect out of Melbourne’s Holy Trinity Episcopal School. Maye is slowed at
the start of fall camp by a meniscus injury.

No. 29 Rhaheim Ledbetter (Fr., 5-11, 195)

At a glance: Another top safety prospect,
Ledbetter was a teammate of freshman DL Jonathan Bullard at Crest Senior High
in Shelby, N.C., the school that produced former Gators All-American Brandon
Spikes.

No. 24 Brian Poole (Fr., 5-10, 202)

At a glance: Poole was ranked as one of
the nation’s top cornerbacks last season at Bradenton Southeast. He is a
physical player with good coverage skills that coaches have high hopes for in
the future.